ANDY FARRELL MAY still be living in Dublin and keeping a close eye as he starts his new job as head coach of the Lions, but until next year’s tour to Australia is complete his Ireland team will be in the care of Simon Easterby.
Easterby will take charge of the group for the Six Nations and a summer development tour that’s still in the works, before Farrell returns to his post for the November 2025 internationals.
Easterby will relish the opportunity to step up but the job looks more challenging than it did when Farrell’s Lions move was first confirmed.
Ireland won three of their four games in the November series, which is not to be taken for granted. That said, the team never hit the heights reached on their impressive run to last year’s World Cup, and shown again in glimpses across the 2024 Six Nations and summer tour to South Africa.
No team has ever won three Six Nations titles in a row and if Easterby is to lead Ireland to uncharted territory, there are issues around the attack, lineout, and squad depth to be addressed.
Lineout continues to cause concern
The lineout is the main area that needs attention given the issues that have been rumbling along for too long now. Ireland’s lineout was not good enough at last year’s World Cup and a year later, they’ve yet to ease those concerns.
Ireland’s lineout remains a real weapon when they get it right and was the source for 10 of their 15 tries across the four November games. Andrew Goodman’s work around Ireland’s strike plays also deserves credit here.
Yet the malfunctions were jarring. It often looked like Ireland’s problems stemmed from poor communication or players slipping off in terms of concentration, with mis-lifts and timing issues a common theme. These would appear easily fixable but plagued Ireland across the series, and teams are now targeting Ireland’s lineout as a weak spot.
The Irish lineout continues to come under pressure. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Paul O’Connell is in charge of Ireland’s lineout and there is faith the former Munster and Ireland international can get these issues ironed out. His insight remains highly valued and his influence extends beyond the setpiece. That said, they need to see improvement in the Six Nations.
Tadhg Beirne has been calling the lineout but Easterby might want to get another specialist in there alongside him. At 35, Peter O’Mahony is not the future of this Ireland team but his calm and expertise around the lineout remains valuable. Leinster’s Ryan Baird, who only played two minutes in November due to a head injury, should be targeting a big December to keep him at the forefront of O’Connell’s mind.
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Attack loses its edge
Ireland’s attack hasn’t looked as sharp as it had on the run to last year’s World Cup. The clinical multi-phase play has largely deserted them and if anything, their phase play has looked limited and laboured.
Why is this happening now? The most obvious change is the absence of Johnny Sexton, and while the Leinster player was a master in conducting Ireland’s attacking shape his retirement is not the sole reason things have slipped. Ireland’s attack looked in rude health with Jack Crowley pulling the strings in Marseille earlier in the year, but never really matched those levels again.
Easterby is not going to reinvent the way this Ireland team approach the game but there is an argument to go more direct. Ireland were often guilty of over-playing in November and a good starting point for 2025 would be to nail their basics. Ireland made 28 handling errors against Australia, moments which killed their momentum.
Gibson-Park sets the tempo in the Ireland backline. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The quickest fix would be to get key players back to their usual high standards. Jamison Gibson-Park made some big defensive plays but lacked some of the zip that keeps this Ireland team ticking. Wingers James Lowe and Mack Hansen – who missed the second half of last season through injury – were both quieter than usual in the wide channels, partly a result of the issues at play further infield.
Easterby might be tempted to get more pace into the backline but the options are limited. Jordan Larmour is going nicely at Leinster, but it’s a shame Ulster flyer Robert Baloucoune has yet to play this season due to injury. With Jamie Osborne pushing hard for a place in the team, Easterby could select the Leinster man at fullback and relocate Hugo Keenan to the wing.
More pressingly, Ireland will focus on more accurate breakdown work and getting quicker ball after a rather stodgy showing in November.
The exciting battle at out-half
A topic intrinsically linked with the issues around Ireland’s attack, but worthy of its own section given the heightened attention on the 10 jersey. After Sexton’s long reign at out-half the crown has been passed, with three suitors fighting it out.
Crowley has had a largely excellent year and responded well to the challenges of the last few weeks, where Sam Prendergast announced himself on the Test stage. Crowley is a talented, mentally resilient 10 and the competition should charge his run between now and the Six Nations.
Prendergast might not even be first choice at Leinster but the Ireland coaches feel the 21-year-old has a big future. His first outings at Test level weren’t perfect but he looked remarkably comfortable for a player with only eight starts at provincial level to his name. His ceiling is high and some strong outings in the Champions Cup might nudge him into pole position come the spring.
Jack Crowley faces stiff competition after a highly promising start to his Ireland career. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Then there’s Ciarán Frawley, the man who came into the November series hot from his heroics in South Africa but left the month the most frustrated of the three. Frawley was poor off the bench against New Zealand but looked sharp in a dual-playmaker role with Prendergast when sprung from the bench against Fiji. Still, he didn’t get to put his stamp on the biggest games and faces an uphill battle over the winter to close the gap on Crowley and Prendergast. He’s not out of the race by any means, but has the most work to do if he’s to be Ireland’s starting 10. His battle with Prendergast – and both Byrne brothers at Leinster – should make for good viewing. His selection at fullback for today’s Champions Cup meeting with Bristol hands Prendergast the early advantage.
The competition at 10 is exciting and the situation may remain fluid, but Easterby might prefer clarity around his first-choice out-half.
Room to grow squad depth
Farrell capped four new players across the November internationals – Gus McCarthy, Sam Prendergast, Thomas Clarkson and Cormac Izuchukwu. All four made positive contributions and Easterby will want to continue to push Ireland’s squad forward.
Some of this will be out of his hands for now – it’s up to the players to play their way into his plans for the Six Nations. As well as monitoring the progress of Ireland’s four newest caps, Easterby will want others to kick on and leave him with some tough decisions.
Somebody like Tom Ahern at Munster is a good example. The highly-promising forward has had a rough time with injuries but a good run of form over the Christmas period might bump him up the queue. The Waterford man is the type of dynamic forward the Ireland coaches like and his lineout skills are an obvious bonus. Backrower Brian Gleeson is another one to watch as he steps up his recovery from a shoulder injury, featuring for a Munster A team against Ulster A last week. Ireland’s summer tour should be a target for the Tipperary native.
At Ulster, David McCann has impressed in the back row and was perhaps unlucky not to be involved with Ireland last month – even as a training panellist. Like Ahern, the 24-year-old is a strong lineout operator and has a massive engine.
Connacht’s Ben Murphy has produced some brilliant moments this season and the 23-year-old was arguably the form scrum-half in the country before the November internationals. His defensive work needs a bit of attention and Connacht’s Challenge Cup status won’t help his cause but if Murphy can continue to improve over the next few weeks he could enter the mix for the summer.
Ireland’s front row stocks became a point of discussion across the month and there’s a handful of young players at Leinster who are being closely watched. Jack Boyle was involved as a training panellist and made a good impression in camp, and his first Champions Cup start today represents a big opportunity for the 22-year-old.
Jack Boyle impressed in Ireland camp but has only played two games for Leinster this season. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Easterby might also want to ease the load on some of Ireland’s key men. Joe McCarthy, Andrew Porter and Caelan Doris started all 13 Tests in 2024. In the case of McCarthy and Doris, there is reasoning in giving experience to a young lock and a new captain, but stronger competition for the excellent Porter would be welcome.
Of course, there will only be so many places up for grabs, and we haven’t even mentioned the likes of Leinster’s Max Deegan or Munster’s Gavin Coombes, who remain key men for their provinces. Add in established internationals such as Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan who missed the November games through injury, and Easterby will have a competitive pool of players to select from next year.
It’s shaping up to be an interesting and informative chapter for Irish rugby.
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Attack and lineout issues top of Simon Easterby's in-tray as he steps up to Ireland job
ANDY FARRELL MAY still be living in Dublin and keeping a close eye as he starts his new job as head coach of the Lions, but until next year’s tour to Australia is complete his Ireland team will be in the care of Simon Easterby.
Easterby will take charge of the group for the Six Nations and a summer development tour that’s still in the works, before Farrell returns to his post for the November 2025 internationals.
Easterby will relish the opportunity to step up but the job looks more challenging than it did when Farrell’s Lions move was first confirmed.
Ireland won three of their four games in the November series, which is not to be taken for granted. That said, the team never hit the heights reached on their impressive run to last year’s World Cup, and shown again in glimpses across the 2024 Six Nations and summer tour to South Africa.
No team has ever won three Six Nations titles in a row and if Easterby is to lead Ireland to uncharted territory, there are issues around the attack, lineout, and squad depth to be addressed.
Lineout continues to cause concern
The lineout is the main area that needs attention given the issues that have been rumbling along for too long now. Ireland’s lineout was not good enough at last year’s World Cup and a year later, they’ve yet to ease those concerns.
Ireland’s lineout remains a real weapon when they get it right and was the source for 10 of their 15 tries across the four November games. Andrew Goodman’s work around Ireland’s strike plays also deserves credit here.
Yet the malfunctions were jarring. It often looked like Ireland’s problems stemmed from poor communication or players slipping off in terms of concentration, with mis-lifts and timing issues a common theme. These would appear easily fixable but plagued Ireland across the series, and teams are now targeting Ireland’s lineout as a weak spot.
Paul O’Connell is in charge of Ireland’s lineout and there is faith the former Munster and Ireland international can get these issues ironed out. His insight remains highly valued and his influence extends beyond the setpiece. That said, they need to see improvement in the Six Nations.
Tadhg Beirne has been calling the lineout but Easterby might want to get another specialist in there alongside him. At 35, Peter O’Mahony is not the future of this Ireland team but his calm and expertise around the lineout remains valuable. Leinster’s Ryan Baird, who only played two minutes in November due to a head injury, should be targeting a big December to keep him at the forefront of O’Connell’s mind.
Attack loses its edge
Ireland’s attack hasn’t looked as sharp as it had on the run to last year’s World Cup. The clinical multi-phase play has largely deserted them and if anything, their phase play has looked limited and laboured.
Why is this happening now? The most obvious change is the absence of Johnny Sexton, and while the Leinster player was a master in conducting Ireland’s attacking shape his retirement is not the sole reason things have slipped. Ireland’s attack looked in rude health with Jack Crowley pulling the strings in Marseille earlier in the year, but never really matched those levels again.
Easterby is not going to reinvent the way this Ireland team approach the game but there is an argument to go more direct. Ireland were often guilty of over-playing in November and a good starting point for 2025 would be to nail their basics. Ireland made 28 handling errors against Australia, moments which killed their momentum.
The quickest fix would be to get key players back to their usual high standards. Jamison Gibson-Park made some big defensive plays but lacked some of the zip that keeps this Ireland team ticking. Wingers James Lowe and Mack Hansen – who missed the second half of last season through injury – were both quieter than usual in the wide channels, partly a result of the issues at play further infield.
Easterby might be tempted to get more pace into the backline but the options are limited. Jordan Larmour is going nicely at Leinster, but it’s a shame Ulster flyer Robert Baloucoune has yet to play this season due to injury. With Jamie Osborne pushing hard for a place in the team, Easterby could select the Leinster man at fullback and relocate Hugo Keenan to the wing.
More pressingly, Ireland will focus on more accurate breakdown work and getting quicker ball after a rather stodgy showing in November.
The exciting battle at out-half
A topic intrinsically linked with the issues around Ireland’s attack, but worthy of its own section given the heightened attention on the 10 jersey. After Sexton’s long reign at out-half the crown has been passed, with three suitors fighting it out.
Crowley has had a largely excellent year and responded well to the challenges of the last few weeks, where Sam Prendergast announced himself on the Test stage. Crowley is a talented, mentally resilient 10 and the competition should charge his run between now and the Six Nations.
Prendergast might not even be first choice at Leinster but the Ireland coaches feel the 21-year-old has a big future. His first outings at Test level weren’t perfect but he looked remarkably comfortable for a player with only eight starts at provincial level to his name. His ceiling is high and some strong outings in the Champions Cup might nudge him into pole position come the spring.
Then there’s Ciarán Frawley, the man who came into the November series hot from his heroics in South Africa but left the month the most frustrated of the three. Frawley was poor off the bench against New Zealand but looked sharp in a dual-playmaker role with Prendergast when sprung from the bench against Fiji. Still, he didn’t get to put his stamp on the biggest games and faces an uphill battle over the winter to close the gap on Crowley and Prendergast. He’s not out of the race by any means, but has the most work to do if he’s to be Ireland’s starting 10. His battle with Prendergast – and both Byrne brothers at Leinster – should make for good viewing. His selection at fullback for today’s Champions Cup meeting with Bristol hands Prendergast the early advantage.
The competition at 10 is exciting and the situation may remain fluid, but Easterby might prefer clarity around his first-choice out-half.
Room to grow squad depth
Farrell capped four new players across the November internationals – Gus McCarthy, Sam Prendergast, Thomas Clarkson and Cormac Izuchukwu. All four made positive contributions and Easterby will want to continue to push Ireland’s squad forward.
Some of this will be out of his hands for now – it’s up to the players to play their way into his plans for the Six Nations. As well as monitoring the progress of Ireland’s four newest caps, Easterby will want others to kick on and leave him with some tough decisions.
Somebody like Tom Ahern at Munster is a good example. The highly-promising forward has had a rough time with injuries but a good run of form over the Christmas period might bump him up the queue. The Waterford man is the type of dynamic forward the Ireland coaches like and his lineout skills are an obvious bonus. Backrower Brian Gleeson is another one to watch as he steps up his recovery from a shoulder injury, featuring for a Munster A team against Ulster A last week. Ireland’s summer tour should be a target for the Tipperary native.
At Ulster, David McCann has impressed in the back row and was perhaps unlucky not to be involved with Ireland last month – even as a training panellist. Like Ahern, the 24-year-old is a strong lineout operator and has a massive engine.
Connacht’s Ben Murphy has produced some brilliant moments this season and the 23-year-old was arguably the form scrum-half in the country before the November internationals. His defensive work needs a bit of attention and Connacht’s Challenge Cup status won’t help his cause but if Murphy can continue to improve over the next few weeks he could enter the mix for the summer.
Ireland’s front row stocks became a point of discussion across the month and there’s a handful of young players at Leinster who are being closely watched. Jack Boyle was involved as a training panellist and made a good impression in camp, and his first Champions Cup start today represents a big opportunity for the 22-year-old.
Easterby might also want to ease the load on some of Ireland’s key men. Joe McCarthy, Andrew Porter and Caelan Doris started all 13 Tests in 2024. In the case of McCarthy and Doris, there is reasoning in giving experience to a young lock and a new captain, but stronger competition for the excellent Porter would be welcome.
Of course, there will only be so many places up for grabs, and we haven’t even mentioned the likes of Leinster’s Max Deegan or Munster’s Gavin Coombes, who remain key men for their provinces. Add in established internationals such as Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan who missed the November games through injury, and Easterby will have a competitive pool of players to select from next year.
It’s shaping up to be an interesting and informative chapter for Irish rugby.
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Ireland Rugby Simon Easterby taking the reins